Invisible Wounds

June 2009

This study undertaken by RAND focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI), not only because of current high-level policy interest but also because, unlike the physical wounds of war, these conditions are often invisible to the eye. All three conditions affect mood, thoughts, and behavior; yet these wounds often go unrecognized and unacknowledged.

RAND conducted a comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with these three conditions among OEF/OIF veterans, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need. This study should be of interest to mental health treatment providers; health policymakers, particularly those charged with caring for our nation’s veterans; and U.S. service men and women, their families, and the concerned public. A key finding of this study was that nearly 20% of soldiers involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have a current mental health condition. Only 47% of those with PTSD or major depression did not seek care, and half of those who sought care did not receive minimally adequate services. Nearly 20% of service members reported having experienced a probable TBI.

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